The Dark Lord
by Bou-chan
Summary: Rated PG13 to be safe. It's about a Death Eater who's looking for Voldemort... truly I don't know what to put here but that's good.
1. Default Chapter

*~**Prologue**~*

            A cloaked figure watched the students at Hogwarts talk as it stood in the shadows of the Forbidden Forest.  The trees and shadows hid it from the student's vision. Thoughts crossed its mind about the future, would Voldemort ever rise to power again? What would happen to her if he didn't? Where was Voldemort?  The wind suddenly picked up in the trees surrounding her, the tree tops swayed in the softly whistling wind, and a light flashed upon her from an opening in the trees; she quickly darted to a darker spot.

            She looked towards the students and studied their actions until she noticed one of the students approaching, obviously they had seen her.  She quickly turned around and began running; she weaved around tree trunks and snapped many branches that lay scattered on the ground.  She grabbed hold of a low branch and pulled herself up into the tree as fast as she could manage as she didn't have much upper body strength.  She climbed higher up and sat down on a branch that was quite dense with leaves.

            She watched the student slowly stumbling around as if blinded by the darkness.  She giggled a little to herself thinking that the kid had to have some guts to even enter or they were truly foolish. At least that was the way it was when she went to school, only the bravest or foolish entered.  She smirked, "Brave aren't we? Your life is in danger the moment you step foot in here, you know?"

            "Who and where are you?" The kid questioned.

            "My name is Cora, I'm known as Labyrinth though, and I'm up a tree."

            "Why are you here?"

            "To be honest I'm waiting for the best moment to find the Dark Lord himself, help him gain power again, and then I'll do his bidding."

            "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is dead though!"

            "You say that with what proof?"

            "With what proof do you say he is alive?"

            "A mere child couldn't kill him, it's that simple."

            "That's an opinion."

            "Look, kid, quite frankly I don't care, now, go back to school and be a good little prefect like you are, got it? Oh, wait, a good little prefect wouldn't come in here… perhaps you blackmailed one to get that shiny little badge of yours?"

            "How dare you suggest that!?"

            "I dare by my free will; you got a problem with that? Say yes and you're dead."

            "You wouldn't have the guts to kill me, and yes I have a problem with it!"

            "Your choices not mine…" Cora pulled out her wand. "Avada Kaderva!"

            The kid immediately fell to the ground, limp and lifeless.  Cora smirked she was proud of her work.  She always managed to pull off the job that easily.  Tell them the truth to their questions, if they try to strike the first blow let them.  Then you have an excuse to kill them, self-defense.  Then again, with who and what she was, there was no excuse because you would do it eventually anyway.

            It was risky the way she did it but she did it anyway.  There were several reasons why, one of them was not foolishness.  No, she liked the risk, it was her style, and they always reacted the same way.  They always grew scared but tried to hide it.  They were always over confident or just too naïve to believe she would or could kill them.

            She jumped down from her branch and eyed down the body, "Poor child." A slight sorrow washed over her like a wave washes over the sandy shore of a beach.  Perhaps that was why she was never one of the Dark Lord's top Death Eaters.  She wasn't cold and heartless like so many of the others.

            "Alex… Alexandria are you in there?" A voice called out from the edge of the forest.  This time Cora did not move, she just stared at the lifeless body as though she had been robbed of something, in fact, she had been.  Years ago when she had joined up with the Dark Lord, she had been robbed of what little humanity had laid inside of her.  Cora heard branches snap and footsteps grow closer.  She turned her head to look at the newcomer.

            The trees were thick and dense so she could not see the new comer yet, they hadn't proceeded very far into the dimly lit forest.  She turned her gaze back to the lifeless body; _perhaps I should destroy the body? No let them find me._  She thought.  _Let them know that there are still so many who will follow Lord Voldemort to the end._  

            She suddenly heard a blood-curdling scream and turned her head in the direction that it came from.  The new comer was staring at the lifeless body of her friend, hands cupped over her mouth and eyes wide with fear, she looked to Cora.  Cora pointed her wand at the new comer, "Go warn Dumbledore that soon, Lord Voldemort will rise to power once again, that the muggles and mud bloods will face the same terror that they had before. Go now before you end up like your friend here!"

            The kid turned around and ran through the forest, she stumbled nearly every step; she kept turning their head to look back at her predator, making sure she wouldn't be killed.  The moment the girl broke through the forest she ran through the mob of kids that gathered around the edge of the forest and proceeded to head for the castle steps, "Dumbledore, Dumbledore, help!"  

            Cora grew a maniacal smirk of enjoyment; _Fear for your life Karkaroff and Snape, all traitors to him shall pay._  She then wandered around until she was out of the dimly lit, densely populated forest, of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

**Author's Ravings:** Wow, I've haven't posted a story in a long time! Hope ya liked this one, hopefully I'll finish this one too; let's see if I can make it a first!!


	2. Beginning

*~**Chapter One**~*

            Cora wandered down the stairs to the first floor of her house.  She wandered down a long, dirty hallway.  There were spider webs hanging in corners and coating the walls, the tables and floor were covered in dirt, there were vases full of dead flowers, the vases needed to be cleaned, and the walls had spots of dust and neglect.  She let out a sigh, "I probably should get around to cleaning this place." She told herself, it wasn't like she ever expected to have anyone visit but it probably wasn't healthy to just let it continue to pick up filth.  

She pulled her wand out, waved it, and said a word that tidied everything up.  "There, that should do… perhaps I should get a house elf sometime?" Once she was at the end of the now clean hall, she opened a door and exited.  Once she was outside she looked up and down the street, "Screw this, I'm not walking to it!" With two pops she disappeared from the front of her house and appeared at the gates of Hogwarts. "Now… why was it I was called here again?" She questioned as the gates flew open as Snape, Dumbledore, and McGonagall could be seen walking down to greet her.

            _Should I be scared? Truly I'm not._  She thought to herself.  "Hello Cora, you have been called here for an important reason, follow us to my office," Dumbledore greeted.  Cora nodded and followed the three to Dumbledore's office.  They walked up a path that obviously led to the castle stairs.  She examined everything she could about the scenery, the lush green grass of the castle grounds, there was a giant carriage in the middle of it though, the water in the lake shimmering in the sun as waves crossed the surface, there was a ship she had never seen in the middle of the lake, and the sun beaming down from the clear, light, blue sky.  

She looked to her right as she realized that someone was walking there.  It was Severus Snape, she glared at him, a traitor to the Dark Lord and he had probably told Dumbledore about her being a death eater.  She moved her gaze back to Dumbledore's back.  _Don't hate him; hate is too much like love… takes too much time and energy to hate someone.  Besides, if he did tell, you'll become a martyr and you'll still honor Lord Voldemort._  She silently thought as she stepped onto the first step.  They climbed the few steps and entered the castle. 

They entered into the Great Hall that had stairs to the left if they went just a few feet more, to the right there was a doorway, Cora knew it lead into the Dining Hall, and if you went straight you would go to the dungeons.  Cora had mixed emotions as she remembered memories, both good and bad, of when she had attended Hogwarts as a student.  She continued to be lead by the three teachers.  They lead her to a statue of a Griffin. "Lemon Drops," As soon as Dumbledore had spoken, the statue began to slowly spiral up.  Stairs appeared and all four boarded them.  Cora looked up as they spiraled; she had never been into Dumbledore's office before.

Once the statue had stopped spinning all four headed over to the desk.  Cora glanced around at all the pictures and scattered papers.  She saw the sword that read: Godric Gryffindor, she saw the phoenix, and she saw the stairs; she figured they led up to his 'bedroom'.  Dumbledore motioned for her to sit down and she did so.

"You have been called here because your parents were Death Eaters, were they not?" Dumbledore questioned.

"They were; what's that got to do with me?" She questioned with a look of suspicion.

"We found a student's body in the forest, she had been killed," Snape commented.

"We guess it was a Death Eater who had used the Avada Kaderva curse," McGonagall added.

"Okay, I understand your concern but I still have no idea what this has to do with me!" Cora yelled wanting them to get to the point as she already knew what had happened to the girl named Alexandria.

"Since your parents were Death Eaters, we were hoping you could help protect the students here," Dumbledore finally stated.

"Whoa, whoa, hang on! Look, for one thing, I'm no auror, for another, these guys are sneaky, clever, deceptive, they can find a way around almost anything, there are lots, and I mean, lots of them, and they'll do anything to win."

"We know that, we didn't live under a rock when You-Know-Who was in full power.  Besides, we're having the triwizard tournament this year and we need to keep everyone safe," Snape hissed.

"I'm not an auror though! I have nothing against these guys; I just wanna be left alone, please."

"They got your parents killed before you were even twenty five."

"That was their fault not mine, they went up against the Ministry of Magic like the fools they were.  They were overconfident of themselves and underestimating their opponents, that's the way they always were."

"You were hurt, sad, hateful, and angry; you came to me to talk about it."

"That was then this is now, I cannot wallow in the past, I live in the present and I do have a future ahead of me even if it is only a few seconds or years to come."

"So you will not help us or the students that go here? Think of the way you felt when your parents were killed."

"I don't remember and I wish not to."

"Why? Is it too painful? Perhaps you're just heartless?"

"Shut up Severus!" Cora angrily yelled getting to her feet which caused the chair to scoot back a few centimeters. "You have no idea what my life is like! You shall never know! You shall never know why I am who I am or of my past!"

"Calm down Cora," Dumbledore tried to comfort.  Cora just stared down at the desk with angry and sad thoughts running through her head.  She eyed down the dark wood work, the papers, the quills and what they were held in, everything that was placed upon his desk she looked at in the five minutes of silence.

"Fine, to prove Severus wrong, I'll help," She stated breaking the silence.  She turned around and headed to the door. 

"We will set up a place for you so that you can stay on the school grounds, please move in as soon as possible."

"Whatever," She mumbled as she left the way she came.  As she walked down through the halls that were now filled with many students; she tried to concentrate on how she could turn this act of kindness and goodness into a twisted act of deceit.  She looked to the side to see a few classroom doors and to see the students who looked at her.  She went to the Great Hall and exited onto the path of which she had come up by.  _Of any auror they could have gone to, the come to a Death Eater such as me without even knowing it! How the hell am I supposed to get myself out of this one?_

She exited the gate and within two seconds time, she appeared inside her house to gather her stuff.  She walked down the hall with its blue walls, decorated vases, clean floor and ceiling, and laughed, "I just cleaned this hall only to leave!" She went up the stairs with a laugh still escaping her lips.  Perhaps this was just what she needed as she would then be able to get information on Dumbledore.

"Now, what to take…" She mumbled to herself as she wandered down a second hall, just as dirty as the first one would have been had she not cleaned it earlier.  She went to the end of the hall and entered a room decorated with seventeenth century furniture.  It was the cleanest room of the house other then the hall.  She glanced around it.

"Well, obviously clothes… you know… I don't understand it… I don't understand how I can hate Severus, even though he betrayed Lord Voldemort, when once I liked him…" She pondered as she grabbed what was important and packed it away.  Once she had packed everything she needed, she sat down on the bed and gently fell onto her back.  "I really do miss the old days.  I remember in school how I was an outcast but Tom… er… Voldemort decided that I could be his friend.  He's a hypocrite yes, but he was always kind… until he gathered all the other Death Eaters.

"Then I remember when Severus and I first met… he seemed a little odd to me, but I'm sure he saw me the same way.  We became friends in a matter of minutes when we told each other how we felt about Sirius and James … of course; he didn't like Peter or Remus either." 

She stood up and grabbed the bag that held all of her things.  She let out a sigh, "Yes, they were good times… but it's all over now and all memories fade away eventually." She exited her room and wandered down the dirty hallway again.  She went down the stairs and through the clean hall; once she had made it to the door, she turned around.  She looked at her house once more, before disaparating and aparating in front of the Hogwart's gates for the second time.

They opened for her and this time she was greeted by Severus alone; she immediately went to glaring at him, "You know, I think I now understand why I dislike you."

"Though once we were friends?" He questioned leading her up the path once again.

"Yes, though once we were friends…" A slight note of sorrow came in her voice and sorrow rang in her facial expression, she just wanted the old days again.

"So, why, is it because I left the side he was on? Or is it that you just don't anymore?"

"Both… You left and I wanted to stay in touch but I knew he wouldn't want it.  I battled with that thought; the farthest I got on a note was Dear Severus.  Then I started to think of you as a traitor, like he had taught me to.  I couldn't think clearly after that, still can't either, it's as if I'm no longer myself."

"He had fallen by that time, long fallen."

"I know but I can't help it; I just wanted him to notice me.  I want to be known for something.  You know that, you always have since you met me.  In school, I was an outcast.  He was the first to except me."

**Author's Ravings: **Yay, chapter one… working on chapter… four! Yay… I gotta get to six by the end of tonight… I hope I make it!


	3. Chapter two

*~**Chapter Two**~*

"Therefore he would have already noticed you, you were one of the first to join his side," Severus pointed out as they entered the castle and headed towards the dungeons.

"True, but after he gathered others there was almost no need for me or so it seemed.  I just wanted to honor him and to be there when he needed me since he was my first friend… my only friend until I met you.  You introduced me to tons of other people who came to like me."

"And you were happy, you were glad to be my friend.  Then he fell, I turned, and you were thrown into chaos?"

"Yeah, torn between many, I always wondered what to do… it's like I was some slave, helpless without my master there." They entered the dungeons and Cora glanced in every direction, it was the same sight from way back when she was in school, the deepness, the dimly lit halls, the dust, the love for them that few could find, and the memories.  This was her favorite place in all of Hogwarts

"That's how he wanted us to be, helpless slaves that couldn't live without him, the thing is, and most of us could, so we turned our backs on him."

"Yeah, but then there's us, we grew our will back."

"Most did yes, some didn't."

"You did… and you betrayed him!"

"I did what I had to."

"To save your own skin pal…" Cora was led to a door and Snape opened it.  She looked inside to see your normal, average, everyday room.  There wasn't anything fancy or anything that fit her taste. "Thanks, I guess."

"Only doing what Dumbledore told…" Cora entered the room and Snape went to shut the door.

"Wait! I'll do it myself," Cora yelled after setting down her stuff.

"Still as cautious as ever."

"And forever will be." Snape left and Cora examined the door making sure it wouldn't lock her in somehow, kill her, or anything else that could harm her.  She then closed the door and sorted through her stuff.  She had plenty of clothes, an ominous mirror, a photo album, potion ingredients, a cauldron, and a newspaper clipping.  She grabbed the ominous mirror and put it in a pocket of her robes.

She then exited her room and wandered into Snape's classroom, it was partly accidental and partly purposeful.  She wandered down the clear aisle to his desk.  The students watched her the full way there and watched her even as she stood there, "Dumbledore need me to do anything yet?" She whispered to make sure none of the students would hear her.

"Just wander around and make sure there's no one here who shouldn't be," Snape replied without bothering to look up at her.

"And how do you suggest I do that when I know not of who is supposed to be here?" She questioned sounding rather annoyed.

"I don't know, you are quite smart, you figure it out."

"Whatever, I should have known you would care less after getting me suckered into this Severus!" Cora yelled while exiting the classroom that was now full of whispers.  She slammed the door when she left and then let out a sigh. "Things will never be the same." She entered the Great Hall.

"Cora?" A familiar voice questioned.

"It is I…" She stated while turning to meet the voice.  She saw the person standing in the doorway to the Great Hall. "Karkaroff?"

"Yes, it is I.  Why are you here?"

"Severus, Albus, and Minerva wanted me to watch the grounds to make sure no Death Eaters come to kill people… Severus is absolutely no help when I need him most!" Cora continued walking and passed Karkaroff to exit the castle.  Karkaroff let her pass without saying another word.  He continued to walk and Cora watched him enter the dungeons, "Business with Snape, eh?"

She suspiciously questioned to herself.  She shrugged it off and entered the sunny castle grounds.  She stopped once she had exited the castle.  She looked from the left to the right and back to the left; there was nothing suspicious except the large carriage and ship.  She continued to walk; she went down the stairs and stepped onto the grass. 

"A gigantic carriage and large ship? Wait, they must be the two other schools here for the triwizard tournament!"

"Very perceptive…" Someone stated behind her.  She turned around to see a girl with dark brown hair, blue eyes, and disgusted face staring at her.

"Why, thank you oh so very much, to what do I owe such a kind word?" She questioned totally faking innocence.

"Oh, ha ha… ha ha," The girl dully said. "Do you mind moving?"

"Uh… ever here of walking around me you little brat?" Cora questioned with an annoyed tone.

"Sorry, no, what does that mean?" 

"It means yes, I do mind moving for a rude little brat such as you, so go to the right or left of me…" Cora stated deciding this was a stupid argument.  She rolled her eyes, "Whatever… as long as you're happy my princess!"

She stepped to the right and allowed passage for the girl.  Without saying anything the girl walked past.  Cora decided to see why the girl was off and alone so she wandered inside to see if the students were having lunch or something.  They, in fact, were, it had just started.  Dumbledore motioned for Cora to go up to the teacher's table as soon as she had entered the Dining Hall.

Cora did as instructed and looked to both sides.  On either side of her were two tables, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw on one side, and Slytherin and Hufflepuff on the other.  The tables were crammed with students who had just started eating but they still watched her.  She was quite sick of being stared at in the day, all of the time it was by the students too.  She walked up to the middle of the teacher's table.

"If I could quickly get your attention," Dumbledore told the students. "I would like to introduce to you our new guest.  Her name is Cora and she will be monitoring the castle grounds for anything strange, for, as you all know, there was a student killed just a few days ago.   It may have just been from wandering into the forest and getting attacked by some rabid creature…

"But a student who was a witness told us of a death eater.  So Cora came to our aid," Dumbledore finished.

"More like answering a call…" Cora grumbled so no one could hear. "Anyway… are there any students who aren't in here… maybe a Slytherin perhaps?"

"Yes, Piper, I sent her to go get something from Hagrid's for me," Snape replied.

"Just wondering, some rude little brat had confronted me out there, must've been Piper…" Cora said with a forced smile.  Cora turned around to leave.

"Aren't you going to join us?" Dumbledore questioned.

"No thanks, not hungry," Cora started down the part in tables again, this time she was even being taken notice of.  _Guess it's just because they didn't know my name or why I was here… nosy children._  Cora complained in her thoughts.  She exited the Dining Hall and entered the Great Hall only to be greeted by Piper.

"So, you're Piper, no?" Cora stated seeing her unhappy face.

"Correct… you must be the Cora that Snape was talking about."

"Oh, so he's talking about me… what'd you go get for him?"

"That I cannot show you."

"Why not? Did he tell you not let me see or something?"

"No, but it's none of your business.  It's nothing truly important it's…"

"I know Severus, if it wasn't truly important he woulda gone to get it himself, hand over whatever it was now or I'll be forced to make you meet that Alexandria girl."

"You would never… you're an auror!" Piper glared at Cora as she blocked the way to Snape.  Cora just grew a pleased smirk. 

"And it is my business since I'm supposed to make sure no one else is killed."

"You… you were a D…" Cora clasped her hand over Piper's mouth.

"Shhh, it'll be our little secret, k? Now hand over the item," Cora demanded just before she got bit by Piper. "Ah, shit, you little punk!"

"Never, I mean never, put your hand over my mouth, and don't order me around!" Piper pulled out her wand and before Cora could react, "Expelliarmus!"

Cora flew into the Dining Hall's closed doors with a loud bang.  She slid down but stayed sitting for a minute.  _Dang that would be a great quality in a Death Eater… let's see what else she's got, shall we?_ "Expelliarmus!" She copied.

Piper flew against the wall and made a thud when she hit it and fell to the floor, "Serpen Sorsia!" A snake flew out of Piper's wand; Piper had learned the spell from Draco Malfoy. 

"So, big deal, a snake," Cora shrugged it off. "Petrificus Totalus!"

Piper managed to block the attack and they pretty much just threw spells at each other and blocked but neither had noticed the mob of students and teachers who wanted to see how it would end; even Dumbledore wanted to see one win or lose.

"Ah, curses!" Cora shouted as the forgotten snake bit her in the leg. "You'll be next ya stupid snake!" She yelled as she kicked it when it let go. 

"Guess it's a good thing that ones not poisonous," Piper stated gaining confidence in her powers.

"Good thing for you more like it…" Cora stated just before noticing the audience they had gathered.  "Guess we should continue this some other time as we aren't getting very far right now…"

"Scared?"

"Tired… we're both tied… not getting very interesting as I can't show full power on someone who's only a fourth year student," Cora stated turning around and walking to the dungeons.  She made sure that no spells would hit her since her back was turned by secretly casting a protection spell.

"Wait! Cora… can we talk, privately!" She heard Piper yell behind her.  Cora turned around.

"Sure, why not, come with me," Cora signaled for Piper to follow her and so Piper did.  They went into the dungeons and Piper looked around, she expected to go into Snape's classroom but when they passed it, she grew slightly concerned.  Cora led her into her room and closed the door. "I still have to unpack all of my stuff so don't worry if you break anything, it's not mine." She had grown a gentle smile as she looked at the girl that now sat on her bed.

"Hey, sorry about early outside, I've been pretty ticked off lately."

"Heh, no prob, I've been treated worse… much worse, trust me.  So, what did you wanna talk about?"

"You're a Death Eater right?"

"That I am, why do you ask?"

"My parents are Death Eaters and…"

"Really, what are their names?! Are they looking for Lord Voldemort too?!" Cora questioned getting childishly excited.

"No… they say if he rises he rises and they'll go back, otherwise they don't care."

"Oh… heh, I shoulda known I would be pretty much all alone in my search…"

"… Anyway… do you think I could become a Death Eater?"

"Only Lord Voldemort himself can decide that… I say you could, but it's up to him," She let out a sigh of sorrow and looked at the ground. "You see, we could only recommend people, half of the time he said he had other things to worry about…"

"Well, that sucks…" Cora laughed at Piper's comment.

"Nah, he always had his reasons."

"You loved him didn't you?"

"Clever… got over that when I realized he never noticed me any more… though I always did try to impress him."

"Why didn't you tell him?"

"What?! Are you insane?! It was a trivial matter; he didn't have to be bothered."

"With the way I see it, you were too scared… and are."

"One, you don't know me, two, you don't know what being a Death Eater is like!"

"Amazing, you can kill people without feeling anything and then you're too scared to tell someone your feelings!"

"No…"

"Heartless yet scared…"

"That's it, get out!"

"Whoa, hang on…"

"Get out, now!" Cora demanded; she turned around as if to say she would say no more.  Her hand darted into one of her pockets and pulled out the mirror.  She held it up and turned back around.  She concealed it from Piper's sight but kept it out, "I thought I told you to leave now!"

Piper got up and walked out of the room.  The moment Piper's back was to Cora, Cora held up the mirror, the back faced Piper, and she looked into the face, "What the hell?!" She angrily questioned to herself when Piper was out of earshot. "This thing busted or something? Eh, either way, it's too valuable to just dump."

She gently fell onto her bed after walking over to it.  She groaned as she realized it was dusty and rather hard, "What'd I get myself into?" She lifted her hands arm length above her and held the mirror in her right.  She studied her reflection on the clean, shiny face.  She studied the rim; it had Red and Gold swirling all over it.  She turned it over to look at the back.  SP was engraved into it.

SP stood for Samantha Paine; Samantha Pained had been a tall, beautiful woman.  She stood six feet even; she had blonde hair that reached down to her shoulders, and deep green eyes.  She had also been Cora's mother.

"I wonder what you say about me…" She told the mirror. "What was it you said about my mother…? I can never remember when I want to." Cora felt her eyes slowly start to water up.  She closed them to keep the tears from leaving them and then she quickly stood up. "What's gotten into me? I never cry I don't care about what happened to my parents, it was there fault… I couldn't do anything anyway…"

She shook the feeling of it being her fault away; she went through her stuff again until she came to one particular article of clothing.  It was a pair of old, black, biker gloves that muggles wore.  She only remembered them from when her father would wear them.  Once he had died, she got the gloves, his motorcycle, and most of his and her mother's things.  She slipped her hands into the old gloves; they were black leather, they had no fingers but covered the back and palm of her hands, and in the middle of both was a small piece of silver, in each was engraved: _To all who wear these gloves good luck, to all who have lost something, you will find something._

These words had always encouraged and inspired Cora since she was able to read.  Her parents were kind and when she lost them, she had to have these gloves.  She had lots of things that her parents once owned back at home, but she could never bring all of it to Hogwarts.

**Author's ravings:** Wow, no replies yet… boy doesn't this suck… SOMEONE PLEASE REPLY!!


	4. Whatever

*~**Chapter Three**~*

Cora decided to go 'check up' on Snape so she wandered out of her room and down the dungeons a way until she got to Snape's classroom.  She opened the door to see his class sitting down at their seats and starting a potion.  She looked up at the blackboard to see what potion they were going to make and shrugged it off; it was a potion she never liked to make even though she could always do it perfectly.  She slowly wandered down the clear aisle but stopped when she saw a girl about to put too much of an ingredient into the potion, "Excuse me but, it said half a cup, not a whole.  You might wanna be more careful next time, Snape can be somewhat pissy."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," The girl responded taking some of the ingredient out and giggling.  Cora continued to make her way up to his desk, once she got their she sat on the lower right corner if you were to look from behind the desk.

"What are you up to now Snape?" Cora curiously questioned as he looked out at his class.

"Trying to teach but I can't with you helping them."

"They'll never learn if you don't correct them," Cora responded with a smirk. "Anyway, what's with Piper… my mirror doesn't work on her."

"I… know nothing about it…" Snape cautiously responded.

"Always were the worst liar, still are… so, tell me, or I just may have to make you." Cora looked behind her as best she could only to see three Gryffindor students watching the two and whispering. "Who are those three?"

"Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger…"

"The Harry Potter?" Cora excitedly questioned.

"Don't get any ideas."

"Oh now, now, Severus, you can trust me as I can trust you!"

"That's very little," Snape replied as Cora was already half way to the three.  She wandered over there and grabbed an empty chair.  She positioned it so she could sit in front of them and talk.

"So you're Harry Potter?"

"Yes…" Cora eyed him and his friends down; Ron had a disgusted, get-away look, Hermione eyed her down, and Harry just worked on the potion. 

"Do you like Snape?" She questioned figuring she would know the answer from three Gryffindor students.

"Are you kidding? We hate him!" Ron stated pretty loud.

"Keep it down Ron," Hermione hissed.

"Heh, not many do like him.  Hey, do you three know of the Slytherin girl named Piper by any chance?"

"Who hangs out with Draco, yeah we know her," Harry responded taking his gaze away from the cauldron.

"Have any information on the brat?"

"Yeah, she always seems able to get out of classes… and she likes to brag and show off," Hermione commented.

"I mean anything… interesting, different.  Like things you wouldn't normally see in a person?"

"No, but may we ask you a question?"

"Depends, what is it?" Cora questioned while getting to her feet.

"What house were you in?"

"Slytherin." Cora stayed only long enough to hear them gasp and grow surprised faces, after that, she left.  She wandered up to Snape, "So, who's Draco Malfoy?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Now, now Severus, you're no help at all.  I'll find out myself," Cora had a sly smile on her face as she turned around to look at the class. "Excuse me, sorry guys, who here is Draco Malfoy, I have some questions for him."

A strawberry blonde haired boy put his hand into the air, "I am Draco."

"Good, come with me outside," She stated walking down the clear aisle.  She didn't notice it, but Snape was glaring at her for more then one reason.  Cora and Draco left the room and stepped out into the hall. "Draco, son to Lucius Malfoy I believe?"

"Yes, why do you wanna talk to me?"

"Lucius is a Death Eater, no?"

"Why do you care?"

"I need to see who is helping me try to raise Voldemort back to power as I seem alone in my quote-on-quote mission."

"You, a Death Eater? You were probably some Gryffindor student, he wouldn't allow you on his side," Draco said in an almost mocking tone.

"Slytherin, get it right.  Whatever, I know he is so it doesn't truly matter now does it? So, to get to the point, you hang out with Piper.  Well, she asked me about something but to answer her truly and fully I would need to know some about her.  So, does she have anything unique about her?"

"Unique, other then the fact that she's gosh darn beautiful?"

"Agh, not with the love please… I mean like powers!"

"Uh… other then the fact that she can read minds, wants to be a Death Eater, is immune to poison, no."

"Don't be sarcastic, Draco, darling."

"Don't call me darling."

"I'm sorry darling, what would you like me to call you? So, answer honestly."

"Honestly? Honestly I don't know all I know is there's something about her that is unexplainable… why?" Cora turned around and opened the door to Snape's classroom.

"You may go back to your potion now." Draco pestered her more to try and find out the answer to his question but she easily avoided it which pissed him off.  He finally went into the classroom to finish his potion.  Cora had a triumphant smile and trotted off to find little Miss Piper.

Cora entered the Great Hall and decided to go check outside again.  So she exited the castle and went down the steps onto the path, and turned onto the grass.  She let out a small sigh, "I feel like some spy… questioning people, wandering around, trying to find 'clues', when will it end?" She questioned herself with the utmost annoyed tone.

She saw the Womping Willow and, once again, remembered memories.  They all just seemed to come back each time she saw something that had, somehow, had an impact on her early life.  Some of the memories she wished to forget, while others were as precious as gold was to a rich man.  She suddenly spun around once, slowly, to take in the sight of Hogwarts.

It was so much happier back then, so much better.  Every day she wondered if her life would have been different had she never joined up with Voldemort.  The thought always crossed her mind at least once in a day if no more.  Then she would always try to think of what it would have been like, but she would always realize that she would have been dead, probably by her parents as well.

Yeah, sure, her life seems depressing with what she thinks about, but truly it is not.  When a person is depressed they can only make their life seem that way in there thoughts, but when she was younger, she was truly happy…

~~~ First Hogwarts year ~~~

An eleven year old Cora walked up to the sorting hat, "Strong, clever, manipulative, you have a lot of traits that put you in… SLYTHERIN!!" The hat yelled and Cora proudly made her way to the Slytherin table.  She knew her parents would be happy; the both of them had been in Slytherin as well.  Cora sat at the farthest end of the table; she looked at the other Slytherin students and almost cringed in disgust.  They all had the same expression, hate, distrust, and disgust.

"Perhaps I don't wanna be in this house…" She told herself which caught the other's attention.

"Little girly talking to herself?" Cora glared at the boy that had immediately taken to teasing her.

"Perhaps or perhaps not."

"Trying to avoid the question? You know, someday that'll land you in trouble."

"You know, being rude will someday land you in trouble so bug off."

"Oh, getting pissed are we?" Another boy joined.

"What's it matter to you.  You guys only pick on me because you wanna seem strong and I guess I seem weak.  You are insecure and don't like who you are.  Someday I'll show you how strong I am though."

~~~ Modern Day ~~~

Cora remembered that first day every day of her life.  She always wanted to prove to those two that she was stronger; when she had finally accomplished that, she decided to prove to everyone that she was strong.  So she set out on two goals, to prove her strength and to help Voldemort at every cost.  Cora giggled as some of her better memories entered her mind.  She decided to go into the castle and find someone to talk to; she didn't care who, she just wanted to talk to someone.  She turned around and wandered over to the steps.  She walked up them and entered the castle; she walked up the first set of stairs, skipping every other one to get up faster. 

She stopped once she had reached the top.  She looked to both sides and then wandered off to the left.  She looked around every corner and jumped when, "You should watch your back, Cora."

She quickly turned around to see a man that had an eye that was bigger then the other, the bigger eye was zipping around in every direction, he was also missing a chunk out of his nose, "You're Mad-eye Moody!"

"Not quite, follow me," Moody passed her and she cautiously followed.  She was obviously nervous and Moody's eye noticed it.  Deep inside himself he chuckled.  It wasn't like she was in any sort of danger by just following him.

They eventually entered the Defense against the Dark Arts room.  Moody allowed Cora to enter before he turned around, "Long time no see."

"Whaddya mean, I've never seen you before," Cora responded half laughing and half serious.

"Not like this," He noticed the confusion that was on Cora's face. "Ludo Bagman, son of Ludo Bagman of the Ministry of Magic."

"Y… you're joking!"

"Nope, you are looking for Voldemort?"

"Of course I am and I'm guessing that you are too since you're disguised as an auror."

"I guess it's not that hard to figure out… so, why are you helping look for the Death Eater that killed the girl?"

"Because it was me so there's no harm in turning an act of kindness and goodness into a twisted act of deceit." Ludo laughed.

"Still the same as ever I see." Cora was absolutely excited and surprised at the same time.  Ludo and she had barely known each other and she had never even thought about him since Voldemort had fallen.

"I thought you were put into Azkaban though," That's all she had known about him after the fall of Voldemort.  She always found out who was sent to Azkaban, that's the only thing she'd look for in the news, and to see who they knew was a Death Eater.

"Yeah, I got out though…" Ludo told his story as thoughts spun around in Cora's mind.  She paid attention to his story but thought about how much easier it would be to bring Voldemort back now that there was someone else who could help her.

"Wow… that's… that's amazing.  I'm so happy though, there's now someone to help me!" She couldn't express what she was feeling in words since she felt so many things and had so many thoughts.  She hoped they could bring Voldemort back and as soon as possible.  Cora and Ludo talked for a long time until students slowly began to enter the classroom, they both tried to make it look like they had been talking about something completely different, "Thank you for your help Moody."

"Sure thing Cora, the more Death Eaters gone, and the closer we are to the end of it all."

"Whatever, I just wanna get this one, do my thing for Hogwarts and let the others go.  If we kill all of them then there's room for another, stronger, evil to rise and no one wants that now do they?" She questioned seconds before leaving the room.  She tried to hide her smile as best she could since she didn't want to seem suspicious.  This year, at Hogwarts, would be like none other, especially because she was no longer a student bound by its rules.

**Author's Ravings:** Okay people, if at least two different people don't review, I discontinuing this thing.  It's annoying to post it and it not be read/reviewed.


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